VIDEO: Columbus Air Force Base Hosts International Spouse Luncheon

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – The Columbus Air Force base is home not just to American pilots but also international pilots who come to train.

Uprooting and moving to a different country can be a difficult transition, but a special lunch hosted for the spouses today may make life in the Golden Triangle a little easier.

These spouses and families picked the perfect place to train and live because hospitality is what Mississippi is famous for.

The Air Force spouses hope to strengthen connections between these various nationalities, making them feel welcome and at-home.

“Columbus Air Force Base is very unique in that we get to help train pilots from other countries and establish relationships with our coalition partners. So this was a way to bring in the spouses of those who are training,” said spouse to the base Wing Commander, Beth Gosney.

What better way to bring people together than a nice meal.

Columbus Air Force Base in partnered with aviation programs that connects them nearly 50 countries.

This luncheon shows spouses of the pilots that they are not alone.

“We have a lot of international spouses at Columbus Air Force Base that come with their husbands, their spouses, either for pilot training or just to serve in the military on base. So we want to show appreciation for them and celebrate our cultural heritage,” said pilot spouse, Rebecca Leftwich.

Spouses say they can experience different cultures and also show their own.

“I just think it’s really special that I can honor my original culture, which is Japan. It’s just nice to be able to celebrate the diversity in the community and be proud of where my roots are from,” said pilot spouse, Kristy McKinney.

“Some of the girls have made their own skirts; I have this outfit from Bulgaria,” described Leftwich.

This event is only the ice-breaker.

The connections made and the possible friendships formed is the end goal.

“It gives me a little chance to pay back what has already been shown to me and that is kindness and a sense of family that the Air Force brings. I understand. I’ve lived overseas, and I understand what it’s like to be in a country where you’re not familiar with the language, where you’re not familiar with the cultures or customs. The fact that we have the opportunity to help ease the transition for others just means a lot,” said Gosney.

After lunch, spouses passed around a microphone, telling their journey story: where they’ve been, where they are now, and how happy they are to be a part of the Air Force family.